Everlasting
by Pam t3h Spam
Summary: AU. Kharl, successful business CEO, lives peacefully with his...er, housekeeper, Garfakcy. But when he is seduced by a local highschooler named Rath, their life takes a sickening turn for the worse. [Shounen-aipossible yaoi warning]
1. For ever

A/U.  Kharl, successful business CEO, lives peacefully with his, er, housekeeper Garfakcy.  However, when he is seduced by a local highschooler named Rath, their life takes a sickening turn for the worse.

_Notes:_ NO I'M NOT INSANE DAMMIT STOP ASKING ME!  O!  ...  *Sneezes*  So anyways, since this is an alternate universe, don't expect it to be EXACTLY like our modern-day world.  Mostly pretty the same, but some weird stuff like a caste system of source and CEO Kharl-sama's weird...erm, hobby.  _;

Everlasting

Chapter One: For ever

"Garfakcy, I'm home!"

The door to the posh upper-complex apartment slammed forcefully shut.  A tall, white-haired man walked in, shedding his formal jacket as he entered.  He threw it onto a coat rack in a slipshod manner.  The spindly wooden structure rocked back for a split second, almost fell, and then steadied itself.  Glancing around and seeing no one, the man unknotted his tie and flung it half-heartedly after the jacket.  It fluttered, fell short, and flopped limply to the ground.  Sighing, he leaned back onto a futon couch and ran a hand through his feathery hair.

"Kharl-sama, is that you?"  The voice, high, clear, and childish, wafted around the corner, soon followed by its owner.  Expertly balancing an ebony tea tray with pot and cups neatly arranged upon, a short boy dressed in crisp black and white that matched the room's décor hurried forward.

Kharl smiled wanly as Garfakcy set out the tea things on the coffee table before him.  "Who else would it be?"

The boy paused briefly in his work to give his master a quick once-over.  "You seem tired, Kharl-sama...are you ok?"

"Fine, fine.  It's only those business associates of mine again...stupid fools always grumbling about money, money, and more money..."

Having finished with his work, Garfakcy sat on the black-matted floor across from Kharl.  "What, have the stocks gone down again?"

"Nothing like that." Kharl blew on his tea, sipped, and closed his eyes wearily.  "Just them being them again...babbling on about my 'worthless experiments'.  They said I shouldn't be wasting time and money on that.  I should 'concentrate on profits for the company'," he finished acidly.

"You're not...starting those experiments again?"

"..."  He scrutinized Garfakcy carefully, but the boy's face was studiously impassive and unreadable.  Garfakcy had never before expressed an opinion to the experiments, though the boy had been directly affected by one.  Kharl sipped the cooling tea again.  "Perhaps."

"And they don't understand." It was more of a statement than a question.

"Naturally.  When have they ever?" _When has anyone ever? _Kharl added silently.  He glanced down at Garfakcy, silently drinking his own tea with a strangely thoughtful expression on his youthful face.  

_Not even Garfakcy.  _But his servant did understand him better than anyone else...though not perfectly.

_Perfection.  _Kharl turned the word over in his mind, savoring it.  Perfection...what did those money-grubbing idiots know about it?  His company, Renkin Corp., his work, inventing medicines...he didn't care for them at all.  They were simply for show, a false face to turn to the rest of the world.  What he truly strived for...was perfection.  Not for himself, but to be able to create a perfect living creature...that was his dream.

Kharl's wandering gaze fell upon Garfakcy again, and he looked upon his servant with the old mixture of fondness, appreciation, and guilt.

Lazarus 2.  How many years ago now...9?  10?  The failure of the first batch had put Kharl off, but only for a short period of time.  He'd had something here, something he'd been sure would work.  And all he needed was someone to test it on.  

And so he had offered money—for that was what made this crumbling world run—and he'd gotten results.  To be specific, a young 13-year old from the Servants' Union.

_Servants' Union, they call it.  Bullshit.  None of those people would be there if they help it._

However morally wrong it had been, he'd been too eager to pass up the chance...what's more, the green-eyed boy with the tough, belligerent attitude had piqued his interest.  The swagger in his walk, the aggressive speech...Kharl had sensed something under it.  

He had commanded the boy to take the pill, and had watched him do it...

"Kharl-sama?"

Garfakcy's voice brought him back to the present, and he smiled absently.  "Yes?"  He looked over at his servant, at the boyish body that would never age.

"Are you finished?" Garfakcy pointed to the now-cold cup of tea sitting before Kharl.

"Oh yes...yes...take it to the kitchen..." Kharl handed the delicate china piece to Garfakcy, feeling a new surge of guilt wash over him.  Lazarus 2.  Failure number two.  And here he was trying for a third time...

_But it wasn't that bad, was it? _he reminded himself.  The second time, at least, things had worked out.

_"I'll never...grow?"_

_"Yes.  I'm sorry."_

_  
"...I see.  Goodbye."_

_"Wait...Garfakcy, was it?  I'm sorry, really I am, and—well, you're welcome to come stay with me if you want.  As a servant.  I'll pay you well for it."_

_"As you wish, Kharl-sama."_

"As you wish, Kharl-sama."  Rolling up the sleeves of his uniform, Garfakcy piled the empty cups and pot back onto the tea tray.  Noticing his master's eyes on him, he offered an innocent, quizzical smile.  A child's smile.

_A child... _Kharl shook his head.  Not a child, not after so many years had passed...not a child when he'd already accepted him as his lover.  

"But he'll always look like a child, won't he?" Kharl pushed himself up, murmuring thoughtfully.  "Always a child, for ever and ever, youth..."

"...Everlasting." Garfakcy appeared in the doorway again, grinning at the familiar phrase.  Kharl smiled back, standing.  "Garfakcy, I'll be back late tonight.  I have a meeting."  He gathered up his papers.  "Where's my briefcase?"

Garfakcy sighed.  He bent over to the haphazard pile of old statistical graphs and market report and rummaged through them.  Kharl sweatdropped and smiled nervously as Garfakcy withdrew his briefcase from the center of the stack.  "You should really be more organized, Kharl-sama."

"You've told me before, remember?" Kharl took the proferred briefcase and sped out the door.

*****

Hurrying down the steps of the tall, square-topped building, Kharl tripped and caught himself barely in time, cursing under his breath.  Not seeing any taxis nearby, he gave the street a cursory glance and crossed.  A small scraggle of high school students passed by him, giggling and laughter carried to him by the cool breeze.  Behind them lagged another student, a tall, slump-shouldered youth with an unusual white streak in his dark hair.  He looked up, and for a brief instant red eyes met silvery purple ones.  The teenager smiled, cocked his head, and walked onwards.

Yet more students jostled by on the sidewalk, giving Kharl curious glances as he stood unmoving in the middle of the street.  He felt...strange.  Different.  As that boy's gaze had pierced him, Kharl felt he had been...

_...understood._

Someone who could truly understand him...  Kharl glanced around, saw the dark-haired figure becoming steadily smaller in the distance, and then grabbed desperately at a passing student.

"Oi...!" the orange-haired teenager yelped as Kharl took ahold of his school uniform.  "What are you—"

"Who is that?" Completely ignoring the schoolboy's question, Kharl pointed.

The other's eyes followed his finger, and his voice iced over.  "That?  That's Rath...Iryuuzaa Rath."

"Rath." Kharl repeated the word.  A good name.  Come to think of it, an unusual name.  "...Is that not a name of the Servants' Union?"

"Yeah, sure."

"But their members don't attend school...!"

The highschooler shrugged.  "Rath does.  And a hella lot of good it does him too...he doesn't try at all.  Waste of time."  Seeing Kharl's confused look, he added, "His parents were both servants, but rumor is they saved up enough money to put Rath in school, then died.  I pity them for having a son like that..."

Kharl thought carefully for a moment, not listening to the boy's words.  Rath.  He'd need to come and learn more later.

"...and he's dangerous," Kharl's companion was finishing in the background.  He gazed thoughtfully at him.  "Hey, why are you so interested in Rath anyways?  I wouldn't get close to him, if I were you.  He's...done things."  The boy's face was shaded by his orange hair, but Kharl could detect an angry glimmer in his eyes.

"Interesting..." he murmured, more to himself than anyone else.  Then, abruptly, "And who are you?"

"Tamokan Viaresu."  Viaresu smiled oddly.  "If you're so set on talking to Rath, you might try mentioning me to him.  It could prove...'interesting'."  Nodding to Kharl, he caught up to his friends without a look back.

_Rath.  _Slowly, Kharl picked up his briefcase, started to signal to a taxi, and then hesitated.  He slowly lowered his arm.  He would walk home tonight.  He needed the time to think.

End Chapter One

_Notes_: Meh..._;  I dunno what's gonna happen, but it's definitely gonna have shounen-ai and good stuff in it.  x3  Kharl/Gar/Rath galore~  Oh and for those of you who aren't familiar with my oddity, Viaresu=Bierrez.  xD  This is my first fic NOT centered around Viaresu, but you can bet there's gonna be a lot of him in here anyways...


	2. Power

A/U.  Kharl, successful business CEO, lives peacefully with his, er, housekeeper Garfakcy.  However, when he is seduced by a local highschooler named Rath, their life takes a sickening turn for the worse.

_Notes:_ Edited cuz I typed so fast I didn't have a chance to proofread.  .O;  Blah...

^_^  Well, I never knew there was another Kharl/Rath fan out there.  xD  Everyone pairs him with Gar...no one will believe the intense angstiness of Kharl-sama around Rath...;_;  xD  Though believe me, Kharl/Garfakcy fans...*backs away from the pitchforks*...there will be muchlies Kharl/Gar, both implied and physical, courtesy of this shounen-ai freak.  x3  Signing out.

Everlasting

Chapter Two: Power

He was late.

Garfakcy turned over, glanced at the glowing face of the clock, sighed, and kept his ears tuned for the sound of a key in the lock—all for the millionth time that night.  He hesitated, and then rolled over again, hoping his eyes had deceived him.  But the glowing neon numbers flashed back stubbornly: 4 am.  

The boy bit his lip, fisted a tight wad of bed sheet.  Kharl was late sometimes, forgetful always...but not _this_ late.  Shifting nervously, Garfakcy at last decided sleep was impossible.  He hopped out of bed, straightened the covers from force of habit, and grabbed at some clothes.  He was in the middle of tying his shoelaces when the rectangle of moonlight in the doorway was suddenly cut off.

"Garfakcy."  Kharl was watching him with an odd expression.  "Do you have any idea what time it is?"

Garfakcy  flushed a little; bit his tongue to keep from asking his master the same question.  He pulled a shoe off.  "4 am."

"Yes..." Kharl lingered in the doorway, waiting for an explanation.  Garfakcy did the same.

A small sigh escaped from the man's lips, filling the expectant silence of the room.  The air humidifier droned softly in the background.  "Go to bed, Garfakcy."

Garfakcy waited until Kharl's footsteps were long gone from his hearing, then lay down, fully clothed.  He couldn't sleep.

*****

"So where were you last night?"

The pleasant background chinking of cutlery stopped.  Garfakcy poured tea carefully into his master's cup, eyes downcast.  He knew he shouldn't have asked, but the question had been worrying at his mind for the whole day.

"I was..." Kharl paused to picked up his napkin.  Garfakcy watched as he folded it carefully, then put it down again.  "...walking."

Tiny frown lines bunched at Garfakcy's forehead.  "Walking?  All the way from the corporation building?"

His master smiled sheepishly.  "Well...er...yes."

Garfakcy eyed him dubiously, not sure what to believe.  It sounded like Kharl, all right...doing something that stupid on the spur of the moment.  And yet...was that pause just embarrassment?

_Kharl's hiding something._  

The tiny animal that had been gnawing on his stomach since last night suddenly tripled in size.

He swallowed.  "I see."  The fingers on the teapot trembled, and a warm pool of liquid grew on the antique rosewood table.  Garfakcy fumbled with the teapot, grabbed an expensive silk napkin, and reached over to mop up the mess.  Long fingers met his own, closing over the napkin, and the boy looked into Kharl's warm silvery eyes.  "I'll do it, Garfakcy."

Was that pity in his gaze?

Wordless, Garfakcy nodded and fled.

*****

"...And we are exceedingly excited to have with us the CEO of Renkin Corporation with us here today.  I am sure that all you young students will find yourselves inspired by his outstanding achievements in the medical field."  The principal gazed impressively down at his audience—his audience of slack-jawed, dozing high school students—then cleared his throat loudly.  "And now, here he is to make a speech to you...Mr. Renkin?"

A low drone of giggling as the audience straightened.  The man fiddled nervously with his tie.  "Mr. Renkin?"

"Yes?  Ah!"  Kharl snapped out of his daydreaming and stepped forward onto the podium.  He cast a quick glance over the students, already beginning to fall into a stupor now that the fun was ending.  

Another school, another pep talk, another round of ceaseless advertising for the company.  Stifling a sigh, the CEO pasted a fake smile on his face and read from his prepared notes.  His eyes drifted aimlessly around the crowded gym as he spoke, finding nothing of particular interest in the dull, repetitive blacks and reds of the mass of students.

"...because in order to succeed—"  Kharl's hands clenched suddenly on the note cards, and his voice broke off.  A small ripple of interest moved through the audience as the tall man stared fixedly to the back of the auditorium.

Him.

Rath glared back, sullen, discontent.  A dull fire flickered in his hooded eyes.  His lips moved, mouthed the words, _What the hell are you looking at?  _Kharl wondered absentmindedly if the youth remembered their brief meeting of eyes the previous night.

Small titters were breaking out once again, and Kharl shook himself, found his place, and went on.  Kharl didn't look up again as he spoke.  He didn't trust his body's reactions when his eyes met those red ones.

At last, the painfully long speech ended and the students were herded back into their classrooms by harassed-looking teachers.  Rath hung back, not particularly eager to get back to class.  He hesitated by the doors, wondering if anyone would notice if he simply cut now.  

There was a tap on his shoulder, and he whirled angrily.

The same tall, white-haired man stood looking at him with an odd expression of apprehension.  What was his name...Kharl, right?  Renkin Kharl.  The big, important CEO.  Who gave a fuck.  Annoyance twisted suddenly in his gut.

"What is your problem?!" Rath snarled angrily.  He jerked the hand away from his shoulder.  "What is it, huh?  What the hell are you doing staring at me like that all the time?  Think you're better than me?  Want to lecture the poor little deliquent?"

Kharl took half a step back, surprised.  "No, no.  Simply that..."

"Will you spit it out??"

The man seemed at a loss for words.  Then his face changed, his expression became assertive, sure.  "You.  You have power."

_Odd.  _Rath surveyed the man more carefully.  "Power, eh?"  He cocked his head and smiled faintly, the same smile from the night before.  Kharl wondered absentmindedly if the boy had any idea of the strange trickling of emotions that smile elicited.  

"Really.  You sound like you know something about me."

"Yes, I believe I do...Rath."  It was the first time he'd said it aloud, and the sound left a peculiar feeling on his tongue.

"You know my name."  He didn't sound surprised.

"A classmate of yours told me."  Remembering the incident, Kharl added, "A classmate of yours named Viaresu."

The smile dropped off Rath's face with shocking speed.  His eyes glowed, narrowed, and his fists clenched until Kharl could see a faint tracery of veins around whitened knuckles.  "Viaresu told you, did he?  That bastard."

Interesting.  The change was a bit disturbing, yes...but it intrigued Kharl even more.  He'd sensed something of a power from Rath, and now it had flared up once again, brought along by the sudden wave of anger.  Pure, raw energy, uncontained.  It had such potential, such purity of strength.  Kharl's breath caught slightly.  Here, at last, was something that could become what he had been searching for for so long now.

"Rath." Kharl offered his hand.  "I have an appointment now, but I would be honored to talk more thoroughly with you at a more convenient time and place.  Would you like to meet me at my apartment?"  A slim business card was held out.

Rath eyed the hand.  He grinned suddenly, relaxing, his casual attitude returning as quickly as it had departed.  He glanced at the card, pocketed it, and shook the proferred hand.  "Hell, I've never been in a big important CEO's house before.  Sure I'll come."

"Thank you," Kharl replied formally, then headed for the exit.  He couldn't stop himself from looking back, where Rath still stood with a bemused expression and the half-smile on his face.

*****

I'm definitely cutting now.

There were no teachers or students around.  He cast a quick glance around, and walked slowly and inconspicuously out of the gym.  He knew from hard-earned experience that teachers only paid attention if you walked too quickly, tried too hard.  Once out of sight from the windows, Rath vaulted with practiced ease over the wire fence.

Easy as...hell, whatever.

Ducking his head, Rath ran, hard and fast.  After a few blocks his lungs cried for air, but he paid them no heed, moving for the pure joy of the wind tearing at his hair and the slap of cloth against his flesh.  Faster, harder, breath sobbing in his throat...he clenched his fists unconsciously, the sharp bite of nail into flesh a welcoming stimulant.

At last Rath reached his destination.  He slowed, breathing hard.  The Servants' Guild building loomed large before him, a monstrous matriarch standing over its children, the shabby houses and weed-grown yards of the slums.  Rath walked more sedately now, with measured steps toward his own little lot.  His property, as legal as if done with lawyers and deeds—he'd fought to keep it, and no one here disputed the claim.

Beneath the thin folds of his drab school jacket, Rath absentmindedly fingered a small knife.  Flipping it out, he held it in his hand, steady.

Ssssssssssssthok.

_Perfect.  _With a satisfied smile, he pulled the blade out from the cracked stone wall.  Rath leaned against the structure, playing the knife back and forth between his hands.

Power.

He had it; he had it and didn't deny it.  Oftentimes he would feel it thumping through his veins, misting his eyes with a fine red veil till the feeling overtook him and he had to do _something _to get rid of it.  Occasionally the thing was quenched with hard exercise, but most often it required a solution a little more...drastic.

Ssssssssssssthok.

He hated the school.  He hated his dead parents.  Damn them but if they didn't leave him money—money, as much as he needed, but completely untouchable.  Damn lawyers told him they had left in their will that he was to use it for a proper education.

_Ssssssssssssthok._

_Proper education my ass.  _The knife had gone in a little deeper this time, and Rath gave a hard little twist to pull it out.  _Stupid teachers, stupid school, stupid kids, they all piss me off.  Sure, they pretend to be nice—don't play rough with the poor little servant orphan boy.  But they all hate me I know it—either that or they pity me, which is worse._

_Ssssssssssssthok._

All but one.  Viaresu was the one exception to the rule.  He wasn't nice, he didn't try to be friends.  The orange-haired boy had regarded Rath with a cool look of suspicion from day one, a suspicion which had only deepened as the year progressed.  Rath had the uneasy feeling that Viaresu _knew_, knew about him, knew about those strange and sudden impulses as the power came and took over.  He saw right through Rath, and if there was one thing he hated, it was people knowing about him.

He lifted the knife, saw cold green eyes filled with that knowing look, and aimed.

_Ssssssssssssthok._

Rath grunted as he gripped the knife handle.  It finally gave, freeing itself with a jarring force that sent him stumbling back a few steps.

But now there was someone else who knew.  That Kharl, that CEO, that man who had looked into Rath's eyes and _seen_.  But unlike Viaresu, this fact didn't disgust him...rather, Kharl had seemed excited, jumpy.  He'd seen that power, and he liked it.

_Ssssssssssssthok._

Rath inspected the crack he'd been using for target practice.  The little divot in the solid stone was deeper, and a tiny pinpoint of light glimmered from the other side.  He smiled again, humorlessly.

Kharl had been interested...and so was Rath. 

End Chapter Two

*Snerk*  OBSESSION!  I SENSE RATH OBSESSION!  ...Poor Garfakcy...:\


	3. Death

A/U.  Kharl, successful business CEO, lives peacefully with his, er, housekeeper Garfakcy.  However, when he is seduced by a local highschooler named Rath, their life takes a sickening turn for the worse.

_Notes:_ Ummmmmmmm...O_O  There's a LOT of skipping around from different days and times in this.  It will often be confusing in the very beginning of the chapter as to exactly when the events are taking place, but it'll all be explained in a few paragraphs...I love confusing people...^O^

Shitsuren Kodomo: Ooooo, what am I doing wrong?  T_T  Do tell!  And what, a SPOILER?  xD I love spoilers...*-*

Ellabel: xD  Ellabel-san!!  Without Rath (no matter how evil and how good of a pancake he makes), where would the adorably angsty love triangle be?  x3  *Cuddles the malnourished chibi Viaresu*  So cute...and malnourished...and cute...;_;  I LOVE HIM...AND YOU~

PikaCheeka: I love writing ditzy and naively uke Kharl-sama, yes I do.  XD  And Rath...I find him rather easy to do, far easier than Viaresu for instance.  x_X  Writing bitchy Rath comes naturally to me  O_O;

Rin: Lol, humor is good.  ^^;  But not only do I suck at it, I don't think it really fits into this angsty little soap.  x3;  I have a few implied tidbits, tho...o_O;

Kweeee.  Anyhow, I'm only answering actual QUESTIONS/things I feel I need to respond to...I do appreciate all the reviews, but answering all of them is too much.  x3;

Everlasting

Chapter Three: Death

SEARCH QUERY:

Iryuuzaa+Rath

0 RESULT(S)

_Search more?_

SEARCH QUERY:

Iryuuzaa+Rath+Servants+Union

0 RESULT(S)

_Search more?_

The fingers on the keyboard paused, then, trembling ever so slightly, typed out a few more words onto the waiting screen.

SEARCH QUERY:

Iryuuzaa+Rath+death

1 RESULT(S)

_Search more?_

Garfakcy bit his lip, hard, and a warm trickle of coppery-tasting blood filled his mouth.  He guided the pointer over the link, where it hovered, blinking impatiently at him.  Why was he so surprised?  Ever since Kharl had come home two days ago, excited and rambling on about Rath, 

_Rath. Rath.  Rath rath rath rath...rath?_

Garfakcy had had a bad feeling about all of it.

_"Rath!  He...look...see...Rath, there...?!  Dang—Rath!"_

The brown-haired boy shook his head violently to clear the cobwebs.  Fragments of a memory, drifting about like windblown weeds.  Useless and completely annoying.  Almost fiercely, he clicked the link.

_LOCAL TEEN SUSPECT IN MAIMING CASE_

_Tokyo, Japan—Police patrolling the Servants' Union sector late Sunday night brought in local high school student Iryuuzaa Rath, who is now being held on ground of serious first degree assault on a fellow student.  The injured, Nakegawa Gil, suffered several serious abrasions, slashes, and the loss of one eye.  Police officials have refused to release more information on the case, but have implied that Mr. Iryuuzaa is to be_

"Hello?  Anyone here?"

Garfakcy jumped, startled.  He quickly pushed himself away from the computer desk.  "Kharl-sama, I'm in the comp—"  He stopped short.  "How did you get in?"

"The door _was_ unlocked," the taller boy before him commented calmly, brushing a stray strand of black hair away.  He gave Garfakcy a fleeting once-over, then, seeming to find nothing of interest, turned his gaze to the room.  "Nice place.  Must have cost a bundle."

Garfakcy flushed angrily as that gaze swept over him, aloof and dismissive.  "That gives you no right to walk in like that!"  His fists clenched; whoever this was was becoming very annoying very fast.  "Get _out_."

"Hey, hey, hey..."  The dark-haired youth held up his hands, grinning disarmingly.  

_Condescendingly._  Garfakcy's dislike increased.  

"Cool it, will you, little boy?  I'm actually here on...an appointment."

_Little boy? _Garfakcy repeated numbly, instinctively reaching out to catch the small square of cardboard that was flipped to him.  He recognized it immediately: one of Kharl's business cards.  And scrawled on the back in an all too familiar handwriting was this very address.  Garfakcy stared at the dull, inconspicuous little thing as his heart sank another notch or so.

"You must be Rath."  The words grated unpleasantly on his tongue as they were forced out, tasting dry, bitter.  Garfakcy suppressed the urge to gag.

"Mmmhm.  And you're the CEO's servant boy."

It was, of course, true; a simple fact of Garfakcy's position.  So why did the way Rath said it make the simple fact into an insult?

"Yes."  Brusque, quick, inviting no further conversation.  Garfakcy's already frayed nerves sizzled dangerously close to complete breakdown.  Rath, seeming to sense this, said no more.  A tense silence filled the room.

"What's that?" Rath asked suddenly.  He stared fixedly at a spot behind Garfakcy's head, and the boy realized, all too late, that the computer screen still glowed.

"None of your business."  Garfakcy leapt toward the screen.  "It—"  But in two long strides, Rath had covered the distance to the computer, blocking Garfakcy from it.

_Shit.  _Garfakcy glared nervously at Rath's back.  There was nothing he could do now except wait for the other boy's reaction.  His muscles tensed as Rath turned.  The high schooler's eyes glowed, narrowed into near slits as he threw back his head,

_Laughing?  What the...?!  _But Rath _was _laughing, shoulders twitching in silent giggles.  Garfakcy stared, nervously alert.  Somehow, Rath's laughter was more disturbing than any other alternative.

"I guess I'm famous, eh?"  Rath steadied himself, leaning back against the swivel computer chair.  "Funny.  Never thought someone would be doing research on me."  The mirth died away suddenly from his blood red eyes like a candle being snuffed out.  "Funny," he repeated, but there was nothing humorous about his tone of voice.

"Is it true?"

"It depends on whom you ask."

"I'm asking _you_.  Did you do it?"

A pause.  Rath surveyed the short boy before him, leaned closer as if to reveal a secret.  "You really want to know?  The answer," he smiled, "is—"  His lips moved to form the next word, and Garfakcy knew, cold fingers creeping slowly up to his heart, that the word would be yes.

"Garfakcy!"

The spell was broken.  Rath turned away, freeing Garfakcy of his cold, hypnotic eyes.  As the highschooler walked out of the room, Garfakcy slumped back.  A single cold bead of sweat traced its way down his forehead even as his cheeks flushed angrily.  "Dammit," he swore quietly.  "Dammit dammit..."

A low lull of voices rose and fell in the nearby rooms.  Rath's, then Kharl's.

"...dammit dammit _damn_ it all..."

Kharl's voice, high and happy, excited.  Garfakcy could picture his master's face perfectly in his mind: pale violet eyes flashing with the newfound ecstasy that had surfaced during those past few days, face animated and alive.

"...Damn..." Garfakcy finished in a hoarse whisper, the furious wave of energy dying away in slow, flowing ebbs.  The empty room responded with a knowing silence.

The voices faded away, heading out to the living room.  Garfakcy slowly picked himself up and tied on an apron, heading for the kitchen.

*****

"Kharl-sama, there's something I want to tell you."  Garfakcy stood, picking idly at a loose thread on the curtains as he waited for his master to look up from the company reports he was writing.  Or at least he _thought_ they were company reports.  Garfakcy shifted a little closer to the table and craned his neck to get a better view while trying not to look too nosy.  He still couldn't see anything, and edged even closer, careful not to attract the CEO's attention.  He doubted Kharl would notice, though, so intent was the man as he scribbled words furiously onto the paper.

_Since when has Kharl-sama been so zealous about writing _those_ things? _Garfacky wondered suspiciously, recalling the numerous complaints and bitter mumblings from his master about the dry, tasteless papers he was forced to produce every year.  Kharl mumbled something to himself and smiled absentmindedly.

Most definitely not a company report.

"_Kharl_-sama," Garfakcy repeated, louder.

"Hm?  What is it, Garfakcy?" Kharl didn't bother to look up.

Garfakcy frowned.  He thought he should have his master's full attention while he was telling him this, but...he continued.  "It's about Rath—"

"Rath?" Kharl's head snapped up.  He leaned back in his chair, relaxing, smiling benevolently at Garfakcy.  "Yes...?"

The same unnamable feeling in his stomach had crept back.  Garfakcy continued slowly, hesitating, wondering if Kharl's reaction was warning him not to do this.  But he had to.  

"I've been doing some background study...on Rath.  And I found out—"

"He _is_ quite interesting, isn't he?  I've been taking some notes on the subject myself—"  

So that's what he was writing.

"—and discovered that..." Garfakcy scowled as he was interrupted for a second time.  He crossed his arms as his master's voice chattered on, sickeningly effervescent, in the background.  At last Kharl paused for breath, and Garfakcy quickly jumped in.

"There was an article I found on the net, about Rath.  He was suspected of attacking another boy about two years ago, and the police..."  Garfakcy trailed off, not liking Kharl's expression at all.

"Garfakcy."  The man's voice and expression were cold.  "You didn't believe those, did you?"

"Well, well..."  He faltered, then, realizing the gravity of this situation, spoke with more force.  "Yes, I did!  And—" Kharl was trying to speak, but Garfakcy refused to listen, pushing onward before he could be interrupted again.  "Kharl-sama, I believe those because I've met him.  He told me himself that he did it—or he almost did, but then you came home and...and..."

Kharl sighed, the same sort of resigned annoyance that Garfakcy remembered from that night he'd come home after wandering for hours at night.  Suddenly, the boy knew without a doubt where his master had been.

"Garfakcy."  Kharl shook his head slowly.  "I'm not going to listen to this anymore.  I think you're confused about Rath...really.  Go think about it and...please leave me alone."

"But—"

"Garfakcy!" Kharl never raised his voice, but he had now, face closed to anything Garfakcy might say.  "Just...go!"

The boy bowed, a formality that had been discarded years ago.  His mind whirled in dazed confusion and anger as he stepped out, wandering without a destination, thinking the same words over and over again.

Rath...Rath...Rath...

Garfakcy's dark mood wasn't helped at all by the sight of the computer screen, still on, and the article staring out from it.  But he hadn't finished reading it yet...Frowning stubbornly, Garfakcy scanned quickly through the rest of the article.  Something about a protest from the rest of the Servants' Union...Rath had been let off for political reasons, and the case dropped, since Gil's family hadn't been able to afford a decent lawyer...

He leaned forward to switch off the computer when a last line of unread type at the bottom of the screen caught his eye.

_Gil died at 3:34 PM in the critical ward at Memorial Hospital a month after the initial maiming.  Doctors say he slipped suddenly into a coma on the 8th and never regained consciousness._

Garfakcy clenched his fists, fear and frustration giving way to a bloodred anger.

...Rath.

End Chapter Three

O_O;  3:34 is when my school lets out.  XD;  Why did I kill Gil?  O_O;;;;;  Ummmmm...to have a good excuse for what will happen in the next chapter, I suppose.  ^^;


	4. Normalcy

A/U. Kharl, successful business CEO, lives peacefully with his, er, housekeeper Garfakcy. However, when he is seduced by a local highschooler named Rath, their life takes a sickening turn for the worse.

_Notes:_ Uuuuuuuuum...SCHOOL'S (almost...) OUT! TOT June 16 can't come fast enough...xX;;; Anyways, my second update in as many days:D (I actually updated Bittersweet, lol...Kagome+Sesshômaru fic, check it out—my shameless advertising demands it! xD). Wow, I haven't written for almost a year...;;; So don't expect it to be the pinnacle of writing perfection...:laughs nervously:

Everlasting

Chapter Four: Normalcy

"Rath!"

He turned around grudgingly, expecting to see yet another teacher coming to talk to him about his grades—how he was an "underachiever", how he had "enormous potential", and especially how he needed to deal with his "attitude problem". He let his emotions slip under a politely interested mask; he'd learned long ago that arguing only prolonged the encounter.

But it wasn't a frowning teacher who ran up the hallway to meet him; it was a girl, long hair flying and face wreathed in smiles as she sprinted to catch up.

"Rath, where are you going? Don't you have chemistry next period? You're heading in the completely opposite direction, genius! ...Wait, don't tell me..." The smile dropped off the girl's face suddenly. "Are you skipping school _again_?"

"Cesia..." He blinked. She always talked so damn _fast_, and so much that he could never quite catch everything. Indeed, their one-sided conversations always left him feeling rather dazed. But she was cute, she was rich—very rich, and she was quite generous, always buying him little presents around holidays and his birthday. So he put up with that annoying voice and focused on the positive side of things. Besides, she was fun to tease when she got angry.

Without waiting for an answer, Cesia threw the heavy textbook she was carrying to the ground in frustration. "You promised me, you jerk! You told me you wouldn't skip anymore! You _promised_! Doesn't that mean anything to you, anything at all?"

"Hey, hey, calm down!" He grinned now, trying to placate her. "Who says I was going to skip? I was just...going to the bathroom."

Cesia glared at him. "How stupid do you think I am? There's a bathroom three doors down from chemistry—and don't give me any of your ridiculous excuses about how the ones on the other side of school have softer toilet paper and better soap. Did you really think I'd fall for that?"

_You did the last four times_, Rath thought ruefully. Too late, he realized that he'd said that aloud.

He thought Cesia would explode, really he did—her face certainly turned red enough to warrant a bomb alert. But all she did was stomp angrily and whirl away from him, heading back down the hallway.

"Cesia! Wait!"

She turned, and under the angry expression, her face looked almost hopeful. "...Yes?"

Rath pointed to the ground. "You forgot your book."

Her face crimsoned again with shocking speed. "Oh, you...!" Cesia picked up the textbook and flung it at him with angry tears glimmering in her eyes. "I brought it for you—you left it in PE." He caught the heavy volume easily, looking askance at her. _Why is she suddenly so mad?_

Without another word, Cesia ran off, presumably to her next class. "What the..." Rath asked aloud. Once again, his encounter with the girl left him feeling decidedly confused. He shook his head. "Girls! What's wrong with her?"

"I believe she was expecting you to apologize," an amused voice remarked from behind him. Rath spun...and there he was, the big-shot CEO, Kharl.

"Apologize? Apologize for what?" Rath snarled angrily, hiding his surprise at the man's sudden appearance. "I didn't do anything to her—she's the crazy one."

He chuckled, pulling at the elegant white gloves he always seemed to be wearing. "She brought you your book—you hurt her feelings by neither thanking her nor keeping your promise to attend your classes. I believe she was expecting some sort of an apology when you called her back the first time. Really, Rath...you could at least have picked that book up for her."

"Who has time to analyze some bitch's feelings like that?" Rath shot back, surprised for the second that day by Kharl's easy interpretation of the little drama. _So that's what it was about..._

"My, Rath, you certainly don't fit in here very well, do you?" Kharl whispered, his gaze suddenly piercing and shrewd. "You don't fit in at all..."

"Fuck off," the boy answered casually, but his fisted hands were trembling. "I'm going to the bathroom...you better not follow me there, creep."

Kharl watched him go, the angry line of the shoulders, the purposeful stride. As soon as Rath was out of sight, the CEO slid against the wall, feeling curiously drained by the short conversation. He stared pensively at the tiled floors, fingers absentmindedly tracing a pattern in the thin layer of dust. _Rath...he is so close to it. But not quite ready...he still will not accept how different he is from those other common, useless high school students. He is hungry for power, I have seen that in him; he understands my own pursuit of it...but some part of him, however small, still wants to be one of _them_. How do I change his mind?_

He closed his eyes: the memory still stayed with him vividly. The power that sparked within Rath, that he had felt erupting in brief flashes of anger...when their eyes had met during that fateful speech, when he mentioned Viaresu's name, and just now, when he had touched upon a delicate topic. It still took his breath away. Such potential, such energy, such perfection, such an absolute waste...!

His eyes snapped open. _I will make him understand. No matter what, he _will_ understand._ Resolute once more, Kharl stood and brushed the dust off his clothes. It didn't bother him unduly; he had plenty of his own in the few corners of the apartment that Garfakcy was unable to reach. At least he'd done the school a favor by taking a bit of it with him. With that thought in mind, Kharl left the school building smiling.

Rath slipped out from his hiding place behind a pillar and watched Kharl's receding figure with narrowed, distrustful eyes. He couldn't quite pinpoint it, but there was something about that man...something about him that made Rath distinctly uneasy. Perhaps it was his uncanny change from friendly confidant to cold, hard, and disturbingly knowledgeable enigma; perhaps it was that expression on his face as he sat there against the wall, staring into nothing and tracing words into the dirt...what was it that he had been writing anyways?

Fighting back a sneeze, Rath scrutinized the dusty words carefully. "Lazarus...3?" he whispered to himself, brow furrowed. The words had a strangely unpleasant ring to them.

His nose suddenly couldn't take any more; Rath's sneeze obliterated the dusty message as if it had never been there. Dust motes floated up, twisting and turning on the slightest breath of air, momentarily lit golden by the watery yellow square of sunlight from a window. Despite Rath's futile attempts to brush them, they clung to him, stubbornly, tenaciously, as if infused with the will of Kharl himself.

-------

Viaresu yawned hugely as he meandered down the street. Enticing smells wafted from the numerous small restaurants positioned strategically every few feet, close enough to give indecisive customers a chance to change their minds, and far enough so that the rich smells of chocolate, coffee, frying shrimp, spicy peppers, spaghetti sauce, and baking bread wouldn't mix. He had come to this area of town with the idea of rewarding himself after finishing a strenuous two-hour English final, but now there was so much on his mind that he didn't feel hungry at all.

He scowled. He really needed at least a B on that final to keep his grade up, but he doubted that he would get anything over a C-, at best. _I meant to study last weekend, I really did, _Viaresu mentally berated himself. _It's not my fault I couldn't concentrate..._

_No_, he thought, his scowl deepening, _it's not my fault at all_. Instead of studying all weekend, he had been worrying. Cesia, that odd CEO, and...Gil: all three had been running through his mind, and there was one connection between them, someone who had been acting even more disturbing than usual. Yes, Viaresu knew exactly who to blame, the same person who had been causing trouble ever since he arrived in this town...

"...Rath?"

"What?" The name had not come from his mouth, but from somewhere else. Viaresu looked around for the speaker, but no one was even looking in his direction. A coincidence, then? It was possible...

"Down here." The voice was drier this time, and yes, it came from somewhere at around waist-height. Viaresu dropped his gaze to a short, brown-haired boy with a wry twist to his mouth. "I get that a lot."

The boy appeared to be no more than 12 or 13, but there was something about the expression in his eyes that caused Viaresu to take a second look. He surveyed the child carefully...no, on closer inspection, not a child at all; this boy was wise to the world, and someone to be dealt with respectfully. "...What did you say?" he repeated.

"Rath. Iryuuzaa Rath," the stranger repeated with a bite of impatience. "Do you know him?" He glanced quickly at Viaresu's uniform. "He goes to your school."

"..." Those hooded orange eyes were completely unreadable. "Who are you?" Viaresu demanded, ignoring the question.

"I'm..." He hesitated, unsure of whether or not to tell the truth. But he suspected that, somehow, the highschooler would catch him in a lie. "I'm Garfakcy."

"An interesting name." Viaresu didn't mention that it was interesting in the fact that it wasn't a name used outside of the Servants' Union, or that he had heard it before. "Mine is Viaresu."

Garfakcy's eyes widened. _Jackpot._

"Then you must know—have known—a Nakegawa Gil," he whispered, trying to keep the excitement out of his voice.

Rath—and Gil. Two names better left unsaid in Viaresu's presence, and even worse if mentioned together.

Orange fire blossomed in Viaresu's eyes. "You better have a very good explanation for this conversation, brat," he said softly, dangerously. "A _very_ good explanation." A quick flick of his fingers drew Garfakcy's gaze to his sleeve, where a glint of steel burned dully.

Garfakcy met his eyes steadily. _This is for Kharl-sama._

"I'm not your enemy, Viaresu...Rath is. In fact, I just might prove to be an invaluable friend."

"Indeed?" The flash of steel disappeared, but Garfakcy knew that it was still there, well-hidden and ready for use. Viaresu relaxed visibly, though the other boy could discern a hint of the previous fire smoldering in his voice and eyes. "Then we really must talk. In fact..." He trailed off, glancing towards a café whose flashing sign screamed "BREAKFAST ALL DAY! NEW CHOCOLATE CREAM PIE ONLY $1.99!"

"...I was just about to have lunch. Why don't you join me?" Viaresu flashed a small smile. "I think my appetite's come back."

-------

"This was a stupid idea," Rath griped, his eyes fixed on the clock. _The damn thing's got to be broken—it's moving way too slowly to be telling the right time. _Slowly, inexorably, with the all the speed of a dying snail, the second hand swept upwards. Rath tensed in his seat, alert, watchful. _Soon...soon...3...2..1...NOW!_

BRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING.

A flash of a black uniform, a gust of wind, and even before the claxon clang of the bell had died away, Rath was gone from the classroom without a backward glance. Once outside the door, he slowed down and breathed deeply, huge gulps of air, as if hoping to clear the last vestiges of the history class from his system

_Why did I listen to Cesia anyways? I should've known—any idea that comes out of her mouth is sure to be stupid and pointless._

He'd ended up skipping the rest of chemistry, but a vague sense of guilt had suckered him into going to his next period. He had paid for that rare moment of weakness the second he stepped into the history classroom: not only had he been forced to endure a whole hour's worth of pointless lectures, he had been met with the disbelieving stares of students and teachers alike, followed by hesitant but exuberant greetings. _You'd think they'd never seen someone walk into a classroom before._

Not just anyone—the infamous Iryuuzaa Rath.

And oddly enough, for the first time since he'd arrived at the prestigious school, Rath had returned their greetings with actual words. He didn't know why, but today he'd felt compelled to respond to those same people that he had always looked on as snobs and losers. It had been awkward and alien to him, but somehow the words had been forced past his lips.

But why? Why today?

_I was just feeling friendly, nothing more. Just saying hi. _But when was Rath ever friendly? The action had been totally unlike him, unnatural to him, but still...there was no way... He clasped hands to his head, trying to block the thought out—

_I was just proving to Kharl that he's wrong about me._

"Hey, are you ok?" A hand fell onto his shoulder. "Maybe you should go to the nurse's office, or you could go—"

"I'm fine!" Rath hadn't meant to, but the words came out in a snarl. "I'm fine, ok!"

The boy who had offered assistance backed off, looking offended. "Well _excuse_ me for trying to help the great and powerful Iryuuzaa Rath," he said sarcastically. "I guess he doesn't need the rest of us lowly little nothings," he said to his friends. "We're too inferior for him to even pay attention to. Watch where you're stepping, Iryuuzaa...you might accidentally squash one of us bugs." The student and his friends left in a wave of uproarious laughter.

Rath stared at them, a look of complete bewilderment etched onto his face. _Why? Why? Why did I just do that? I could fit in with them if I really tried...I could...couldn't I? Why did I just do that?_

He walked slowly away, away from the laughter, away from the chattering, away from the classmates that he knew but had never really _known_. A flash of shining black hair caught his eye. "Cesia..."

"Rath! There you are." The expression on the girl's face was oddly guarded, completely unlike her usual happy nature. The incident this morning...he was doing it again. He was driving away the only person with whom he had built up even the most tenuous of friendships. He was a fool, but he didn't know how to call her back, how to act at all.

"I..." At a loss for words, Rath said the first thing that came to mind. "I went to history today."

"You? No way! You did—you're not joking, are you?" Cesia asked, pointing accusingly at him. When he shook his head, she jumped up and down, squealing excitedly. "Rath, you kept your promise! I can't believe it! Oh, wow! We have to celebrate...I know this great little café. It has the best chocolate cream pies. I'll buy you a piece—no, I'll buy you lunch! Let's go right now!"

He bit his lip, nodded. Cesia beamed, and suddenly leapt forward and hugged him. "Rath...I knew I could turn you around...I knew it..." she whispered happily.

He wanted nothing more than to shrug off the embrace, to push away the alien feel of her arms around his back, to tell her that no, he'd changed his mind, he didn't even like chocolate. That's what he wanted, but—

_"My, Rath, you certainly don't fit in here very well, do you? You don't fit in at all..."_

"You're wrong, Kharl," he hissed between gritted teeth, eyes shining hotly in a way that suggested he was ready to do murder, not to hug a pretty girl. "Dead wrong."

"Rath? Are you ok?" Cesia fidgeted. "You're squeezing really tight...ow! Rath, watch it!" She broke the hug, taking a step back. "Are you ok? Your eyes are a little...weird."

He stared at her, as if not really seeing her, then something seemed to pass over him and he was smiling at her. Him! Smiling! It was strained and unnatural on his face but...well, he had plenty of time to work on that smile that sent a cold chill down her spine. Cesia smiled back.

"I'm fine," Rath said firmly, as if convincing himself. "I'm fine. I'm as normal as anyone could possibly be."

End Chapter Four

AN: I like this chapter...and it's incredibly long for me xD Ummm, yay! I managed to fit in a part about Viaresu:mucho applause for self: ; LoL...so we see some Rath/Cesia interactions in this chapter...I tried to make it true to the manga: he thinks her talking is annoying; she tries to "save" him by keeping him on the right track; he sticks with her at first because of the money (power) she has.

Also: notice how Rath is less bitchy around Kharl-sama...just as the manga, Kharl's manipulating confuses and scares him. Sooooooo...any suggestions?


End file.
